MDtR-Chicago

I can understand the viewpoint that one would not care about the profitability of the hotel. After all, it's a business, and it's certainly in fashion these days to consider every business as evil, without the possibility of a human element behind it.

But I really can't understand the viewpoint that pervasive claims for multiple rooms won't be what eventually causes the program to be canceled. Regardless if it is something IHG is imposing on the individual hotels, they do still have a bargaining position and can quite effectively lobby for the program to end. Probably all it would take is a handful of "flagship" ICs consistently losing a few thousand $ a night to cause a change. Losing the ~$30 cost of one night use of a standard room is one thing. But losing 6x$30+ for club rooms? Multiple times? Or having one luxury suite open and losing $2000 of revenue because you couldn't sell it? Maybe that discussion is already in progress.

The lack of self-interest on the part of claimants is kind of shocking. But then again, FT has taken a decidedly short-term viewpoint lately.

Ambraciot

There's a definite undercurrent of systemic apocalyptic collapse in today's society, fear of sweeping program devaluations, credit card cutbacks and conversion to very limited revenue based models appear more rational than fears of oil shocks, demonetization or global anarchy.

I'm still getting approval for a couple ~standard rooms per month with relatively little difficulty. I've successfully arranged separate simultaneous BRGs for myself and family members on a couple occasions, they have the same last name and I used my credit card for both, but they have a different home address. I won't be surprised if the Best Price Guarantee get pulled soon, but backing then pulling the program would be an embarrassing management failure for IHG.

Dolphinyong

Hi, anyone has any experience (previous/recent) on the process of reimbursement to European bank account? I have a bank account in EURO currency, and my location is Czech Republic. Appreciate inputs, advice and things to be concerned about. Thanks a lot.

piiit

Works without problems. You just have to sent IBAN, BIC, Bank Address, etc. and they will transfer it.
They sometimes want to have a SORT Number, that does not exist officially for European Bank Accounts, but this number is actually included in the IBAN and works.

Dolphinyong

Thanks a lot. Are you in Czech Republic as well? It's because the currency being used here is mainly Czech Crown then secondly Euro, so I'm not sure whether there will be a problem with USD fund transfer.

Happy

If you are a hotelier, would you rather sell a block of hotel rooms upfront at a discount so to guarantee the revenue / profit for a big part of your inventory or you would rather take a wait and see attitude and let the real demand to pick up the slack?

Travel industry is such an industry that a lot of the demand is fairly uncertain and difficult to predict, based on many factors including the obvious, economic conditions, and the now also become more obvious, social turmoil in many parts of the world... So the ability to sell a block upfront to lock in an acceptable profit is a very attractive option. Most hotel chains allow branded hotels to do that and mitigate the "best price" via some programs that are reasonable to all parties involved.

Just look around, other hotel chains which once offered the free room guarantee, all pulled their programs before IHG went into the fray... because the free room guarantee is very prone to being gamed, and it is hard to have a T&Cs that covers every aspect a gamer would go after.

For the major hotel chains, SPG does not even have much to offer on the best rate guarantee other than a 2K SPG pts. HHonor's pretty much is non-existent. But both chains still prosper. Marriott takes a sensible approach - the customer gets something to compensate their efforts of hunting the lower prices, the hotels still get some revenues, the corporate is much easier to deal with when it comes to the approval and honoring the approval.

Whoever the honchos at the IHG marketing dept simply have no clue about how a real world is out there when they brought out their free room guarantee. Unbelievable corporate blunder that is still going on.

nacho

You really need to talk to your bank to see what their policy is. You need to ask them if they accept $ in USD, whether they will charge you for receiving $ etc.

What I found out is that every bank is different and policies are different in various countries.

mabramovich

Now being asked for names and addresses of my second guest. That all seems very strange to me -- is the hotel really going to check that the second guest matches what I put down? Surely that can't be right?

unavaca

Is the Crowne Plaza in Osaka considered an "ANA hotel", and thus ineligible for BRG?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

part of their rule to try and prevent same household getting another BRG. But I have read you can just say 'undecided' and that works.

FlyingHigh20

But even "gamers" are having a hard time finding these deals, therefore unless they are booking excessive amount's of rooms at the same hotel, this program is hard to abuse.

And in not so many words you've explained why IHG has to go this route. SPG and HHonor's prospers not due to their BRG or their rate structure, but due to the quality of those chains. IHG has a lot of toxic properties and a stale reputation they need to overcome. Upper middle class families arent going to rush to stay at a Holiday Inn, but they have no problem staying at a SPG or Hhonors hotel. Those opting for a Holiday Inn, however, are more price sensitive than their Hilton and Sheraton/Westin counterparts as they are most likely opting for price rather than quality as their reason for staying. And yes, I know the IHG chain makes up more than just Holiday Inn's, however the majority of their rooms in the chain are HI's.

nacho

Or you can say it's none of your business
I think they want to verify if the second guest has already score a free room somewhere else..

Ambraciot

... or they're trying to prevent people from reserving and selling BRG nights. Imagine a cab driver claiming a dozen nights a month on spec, offering fares looking for hotels a "special deal" and switching the incidentals to the fare's credit card while checking in with them.

Shanye2233

So there is nobody concerned about the reasoning why my claims were denied ? Internal reservations comparisons!

travelkid

Definately concerned. Thats unethical. Contrary to t&c.